Atomizing burner for a heating device of a vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an atomizer burner for a motor vehicle heater, with a combustion chamber which contains a baffle barrier and with an atomizer means ( 2 ) which atomizes the fuel into the combustion chamber, characterized in that within the combustion chamber in the atomization direction of the fuel at a distance from the atomization point of the atomizer means ( 2 ) which is smaller than the diameter of the combustion chamber or the diameter of a cylindrical heat shield ( 8 ) which extends in the combustion chamber there is a baffle plate ( 18 ) which acts as a baffle barrier.

[0001] This invention relates to an atomizer burner for a motor vehicle heater as claimed in the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Atomizer burners with which the energy bound in fossil fuels can be converted into heat energy are already in use in the most varied areas (see for example WO 87/00605 or DE 39 01 126 A1). In the area of motor vehicle heaters, atomizer burners or nozzle atomizer burners in the power range of <10 kW are generally not used, since the atomization quality is not considered sufficient at smaller powers and a high electric power consumption is necessary to achieve adequate atomization quality. In addition, atomizer burners exhibit poor combustion behavior in the partial load range since here the atomization quality is poorer than under a full load.

[0003] Finally, nozzle atomizer burners of the known type exhibit poor cold starting behavior, since based on the viscosity of the fuel which increases as the temperature decreases the atomization quality is adversely affected. Here large fuel droplets pass unvaporized or only partially vaporized through the combustion chamber; this causes high starting emissions. A poor exhaust gas quality, if only during the starting phase, cannot be tolerated nowadays with consideration of the increased sensitivity of the market with respect to environmental questions.

[0004] The object of this invention is therefore to devise an atomizer burner for a motor vehicle heater which even at lower powers in the partial load range and during the cold start phase enables good combustion behavior and low emissions.

[0005] This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Feasible embodiments of the invention can be taken from the dependent claims.

[0006] There is a atomizer burner for a motor vehicle heater, with a combustion chamber which contains a baffle barrier, and with an atomizer means which atomizes the fuel into the combustion chamber, at a distance from the atomization point of the atomizer means which is smaller than the diameter of the combustion chamber or the diameter of a cylindrical heat shield which extends in the combustion chamber, there being a baffle plate which acts as a baffle barrier. The baffle plate as the baffle barrier has the effect of flame stabilization which acts advantageously on the reduction of the flame noise and the improvement of combustion, especially at smaller powers or in the partial load range of the burner. The baffle plate is especially advantageous in the implementation of compact combustion chambers for liquid fuels. The burner equipped with the baffle plate can process even poorer atomization qualities by the plate without this adversely affecting the combustion behavior. Likewise the possibility of implementing partial load stages in which the atomization quality is poorer than in the full load stage is improved.

[0007] The baffle plate can be among others conical, convex or concave. The arrangement of the baffle plate in the flame zone facilitates re-ignition of the fuel on the glowing disk after flame blow-off as is caused for example by air bubbles in the fuel line. In addition, CO and HC emissions can be reduced when the combustion process ends by reacting on the glowing baffle plate.

[0008] The baffle plate can be made as a disk with a collar with a height of for example 2 mm against the atomization direction of the fuel so that it forms a flat pot. The ratio of the baffle plate diameter to the fuel chamber diameter is preferably between 0.6 and 0.9 and the ratio of the axial distance of the baffle plate from the atomization point to the combustion chamber diameter is preferably between 0.3 and 0.6. Suitable dimensioning of the baffle plate, compared to the other aerodynamic measures, yields only a slightly increased pressure loss of the combustion chamber, for example the tangential component of a combustion air flow which is delivered with a swirl being only insignificantly disrupted, so that the combustion gases can also flow downstream of the baffle plate still with a swirl component. The baffle plate is preferably fixed with mounting clips.

[0009] The baffle plate can have openings in the form of slots and/or holes, the openings being made preferably in the form of defined perforation of the baffle plate. The baffle plate however can also be made as a ring with a central through hole.

[0010] Furthermore, in one especially preferred embodiment, on the baffle plate there can be a chamber into which a glow means in the form of a glow pin, for example, of ceramic, or in the form of a glow plug, projects. By the arrangement of the glow means in the area of the restricted flow upstream of the baffle plate the starting behavior of the burner is improved. The chamber is preferably made such that the glow means projects into it such that the radiant energy of the glow means can be used downstream of the atomization means for heating of the components of the baffle plate. In this way especially the starting behavior of one such burner is greatly improved.

[0011] The baffle plate can among others be fixed on the combustion chamber, on the combustion chamber bottom or on aerodynamic internals, for example a swirling means for the combustion air.

[0012] The baffle plate can preferably consist of high-alloy steel, of ceramic or of ceramic-coated steel.

[0013] Other properties and advantages of this invention result from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention with respect to the attached drawings.

[0014]FIG. 1 shows a cross section through an atomizer burner;

[0015]FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a combustion chamber with a combustion tube or flame tube;

[0016]FIG. 3 shows a cross section through the combustion chamber as shown in FIG. 2;

[0017]FIG. 4 shows an overhead view of the baffle plate of the combustion chamber as shown in FIG. 2;

[0018]FIG. 5 shows one version of FIG. 1 with a concave baffle plate;

[0019]FIG. 6 shows one version of FIG. 1 with a convex baffle plate; and

[0020]FIG. 7 shows one version of FIG. 1 with a conical baffle plate.

[0021]FIG. 1 shows a cross section through one preferred embodiment of an atomizer burner. This atomizer burner consists in this embodiment of an atomizer nozzle 2 to which an air-guiding means 4 for swirling of the combustion air entering the atomizer nozzle 2 is connected in series. Upstream of the air-guiding means 4 on the left side there is a fuel feed line 6 to which the fuel to be atomized in the atomizer nozzle 2 is supplied. The atomizer nozzle 2 is connected on its side facing the combustion chamber 24 (see FIG. 5) to the cylindrical heat shield 8. This heat shield 8 can be provided with secondary air openings 10 which are also provided in the flange 12 which is located downstream of the heat shield 8 and which is used to attach the atomizer nozzle 2 within the combustion chamber or within the motor vehicle heater. The secondary air which passes through these holes 10 is subjected to a swirl by the air-guiding swirling means 14. The atomizer burner is provided in addition with a glow means 16 which can be preferably a glow pin or glow plug consisting of ceramic material, using which the atomized fuel mixture is ignited. Optionally, in addition to the glow means 16 there is an ignition means which is not shown and which is conventional in atomizer burners for producing an ignition spark.

[0022] As shown furthermore in FIG. 1, on the heat shield 8 of the burner there is a baffle barrier in the form of a baffle plate 18 which is flat in this case and which is located perpendicular to the lengthwise axis of the combustion chamber 24. Fuel which is atomized in the atomizer nozzle 2 and which can emerge in the form of fuel droplets due to inadequate fuel preparation, strikes the baffle barrier which is made as a flat baffle plate 18 and can vaporize there. The baffle barrier or the baffle plate 18 is located within the flame zone of the burner, by which flame stability is improved. The baffle plate 18 acts moreover to deflect the flow and thus to stabilize the flame.

[0023] The baffle plate 18 is made preferably of high-alloy steel and has a collar 20 roughly 2 mm in height which is pointed at the atomizer nozzle 2. Alternatively the baffle plate 18 can consist also of ceramic material or a high-alloy steel coated with a ceramic material. As can furthermore be seen in FIG. 1, the baffle plate 18 is attached to the heat shield 8 using mounting clips 22.

[0024]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a combustion chamber 24 which is provided with a baffle plate 18, there being a flame tube 26 on the back of the combustion chamber 24. The baffle plate 18D which is made in this version as a disk with a central through hole 34 is attached via mounting clips 22 in the combustion chamber 24. As shown furthermore by FIG. 2, on the baffle plate 18D there is a starting chamber 28 into which a glow means can project. Areas of the baffle plate can be used as a“hot-spot” by this starting chamber 28 in order to heat the starting chamber 28 or the baffle plate 18D. In addition, the starting chamber 28 is also used as a damping zone in which a pilot flame is formed more quickly and accelerates the vaporization of the atomized fuel and thus leads to faster ignition when the burner starts.

[0025] As is apparent, the starting chamber 28 in this embodiment is located on the edge of the baffle plate 18D. Alternatively it can also be attached at any other point on the baffle plate, especially in a closed flat execution of the baffle plate 18 or can be made molded with it. The position of the starting chamber 28 is ultimately determined by the position of the glow means.

[0026]FIGS. 3 and 4 show the embodiment as shown in FIG. 2 once in a sectional view and another time in a plan view of the baffle plate 18.

[0027] The combustion chamber in FIGS. 2 to 4 is combined with the burner as shown in FIG. 1 such that the heat shield 8 is inserted preferably inside into the combustion chamber 24, and the baffle plate 18 can be attached alternatively to the heat shield 8, as shown in FIG. 1, or to the combustion chamber 24, as is shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. The heat shield can also be mounted on the combustion chamber 24, in this case there being recesses in the heat shield 8.

[0028] In FIG. 4 on the baffle plate 18 holes 30 and slots 32 are also made. These holes 30 and slots 32 are optional. They can be present either as a given pattern of holes with only one or more holes 30 or with one or more slots 32 or, as shown, as combinations of holes 30 and slots 32.

[0029] In the version shown in FIG. 5, the baffle plate 18A is made concave. Furthermore, this figure shows the combustion chamber 24 which surrounds the heat shield 8 on the outside. There is also one such combustion chamber 24 in the other embodiments.

[0030] In the version shown in FIG. 6 the baffle plate 18D is made convex, i.e. with an arch pointed opposite the atomizer nozzle 2.

[0031] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the baffle plate 18C is made conical. In another version which is not shown the tip of the cone can also be pointed opposite the atomizer nozzle 2.

[0032] In all the embodiments shown it is advantageous if the ratio of the axial distance of the baffle plate 18, 18A, 18B, 18C and 18D from the atomization point P (see FIG. 1) is roughly between 0.3 and 0.6. Likewise, in all these embodiments it is advantageous if the ratio of the diameter of the baffle plate 18, 18A, 18B, 18C, and 18D to the diameter of the combustion chamber 24 or to the diameter of the heat shield 8 located in the combustion chamber 24 is roughly between 0.6 and 0.9. At these numerical ratios the best combustion results have been shown in practice.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

[0033]2 atomizer means (atomizer nozzle)

[0034]4 air-guiding means

[0035]6 fuel supply line

[0036]8 heat shield

[0037]10 holes

[0038]12 flange

[0039]14 swirl means

[0040]16 glow means

[0041]18 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D baffle plate

[0042]20 collar

[0043]22 mounting clip

[0044]24 combustion chamber

[0045]26 flame tube

[0046]28 starting chamber

[0047]30 hole

[0048]32 slot

[0049]34 through hole 

1. Atomizer burner for a motor vehicle heater, with a combustion chamber (24) which contains a baffle barrier (18) and with an atomizer means (2) which atomizes the fuel into the combustion chamber, characterized in that within the combustion chamber (24) in the atomization direction of the fuel at a distance from the atomization point (P) of the atomizer means (2) which is less than the diameter of the combustion chamber (24) or the diameter of a cylindrical heat shield (8) which extends in the combustion chamber (24) there is a baffle plate (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) which acts as a baffle barrier.
 2. Atomizer burner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the baffle plate (18C) is conical.
 3. Atomizer burner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the baffle plate (18B) is convex.
 4. Atomizer burner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the baffle plate (18A) is concave.
 5. Atomizer burner as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the baffle plate (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) can be made as a disk with a collar (20) against the atomization direction of the fuel so that it forms a pot which is open to the atomizer means (2).
 6. Atomizer burner as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ratio of the diameter of the baffle plate (18) to the diameter of the combustion chamber (24) or to the diameter of the heat shield (8) located in the combustion chamber (24) is between 0.6 and 0.9.
 7. Atomizer burner as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the ratio of the axial distance of the baffle plate (18) from the atomization point (P) to the combustion chamber diameter is between 0.3 and 0.6.
 8. Atomizer burner as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the baffle plate (18) has openings in the form of slots (32) and/or holes (30).
 9. Atomizer burner as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the baffle plate (18D) is made as a ring.
 10. Atomizer burner as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, wherein on the baffle plate (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) there is a chamber (28) into which a glow means (16) projects.
 11. Atomizer burner as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the baffle plate (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) consists of high-alloy steel.
 12. Atomizer burner as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the baffle plate (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) consists of ceramic.
 13. Atomizer burner as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the baffle plate (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) consists of ceramic-coated steel. 